Greyhounds Blog

What's Happening with Assumption College Sports Teams

PROFESSIONAL ALUMNI: the 2009 baseball Northeast-10 Conference Player-of-the-Year MIKE BAILLARGEON plays for the Werribee Giants in Australia (just outside of Melbourne . . . pitcher TIM DUPUIS '10 was signed by the Washington Nationals and is playing in the Gulf Coast League COREY DIETHORN (Pittsburgh, PA/Sewickley) is now playing professional basketball in the Canary Islands . . . MIKE DIREDA finished his first season playing baseball in Italy . . . and BRIAN ROBINSON '05 plays professionally for Atletico/Slimcei Club de Portugal (POR-Proliga) . . . teammate O MCGEE-SHARP '04 is with the Hawaii Mega Force (ABA RE RO) . . .

LATEST ALUMNI HONORS: George Mason athletics director and Assumption College Alumni-Athletics Hall of Famer TOM O'CONNOR '68 was selected as the recipient of the Gary Cunningham Lifetime Achievement Award, presented by the Division I-AAA Athletics Directors Association. The highest award presented by the association was presented in Anaheim, Cal., June 22, 2010. O'Connor, who completed his 16th year as George Mason AD, recently served a five-year term on the NCAA Division 1 Men's Basketball Championship Committee . . . former standout lacrosse player BRIAN MILLER '06 was named the Eastern Connecticut Boy's Lacrosse Coach-of-the-Year. His Ledyard, CT High team has won its first ECC tournament title and finished as the only team in the state with just one loss. Miller is also a teacher at the Sayles Elementary School in Baltic.

INCOMING FRESHMEN: football standouts RAHEEM KELLY-REID (Springfield, MA/Chicopee, MA) and MATT PEDONE (Holden, MA/Wachusett) both played in the Shriners Chowder Bowl Football All-Star Game June 25, 2010 . . .

CANDLELIGHT REFLECTION: the Bro. Robert Francis Beaulac, A.A. Memorial Candlelight Reflection for Assumption College Student-Athletes (see picture above) took center stage Thursday, September 3 in the Chapel of the Holy Spirit. Fr. John Franck, A.A. '70, a former student-athlete (football quarterback) himself, led the celebration giving both the opening prayer and the reflection. Women's senior soccer captain KELLEY DEWALT '10 and junior men's soccer player BRENDAN MC GEE '11 did the readings, while junior women's basketball player LESLIE LUPIEN '11 and senior baseball captain MICHAEL COLEBROOK '10 did the reflections from their experiences as student-athletes. Bro. Robert Beaulac, an Assumptionist, who holds a very special place in the Assumption College community to this day, passed away in November 2000. He served the community for nearly 40 years and had a very special influence on countless students. He also understood that athletics plays an important role in the development and education of students. He also recognized that athletes play a very visible role in attaining the College's mission "until Christ be formed in you." With this in mind he organized this event and it is now an annual celebration.

RECENT GREYHOUND NEWS: former football/lacrosse player DAN OUELLETTE '82 was honored by the Water-Oak Gold Circle of Sports on April 27 for charity work in the Watertown, CT area . . . former Hounds basketball standout CHARDE FLOYD '08 is the Director of Basketball Operations for Holy Cross women's hoop . . . she joined Hall of Famer ANN MC INERNEY '89 at Holy Cross . . . former assistant coach MIKE ROUX '02, who spent last year as an assistant with Holy Cross is now an aide with the University of New Hampshire . . . former golf standout KEVIN COSGROVE '79, a victime of a rare ailment (narcolepsy) has formed "Wake Up Narcolepsy, Inc" . . . www.wakeupnarcolepsy.org . . . to combat the afflication . . . former Greyhound basketball standout CHRIS KIERNAN '65 passed away August 10, 2009 . . . Chris, a teammate of Hounds' A.D. Ted Paulauskas '67, had served as hoop coach/a.d. at St. Joseph's College of Maine and most recently as Vice-President of Salve Regina University . . . former Hound hoopster KARA WILLIAMSON '05 is an assistant women's basketball coach at S.N.H.U. replacing Mike Roux '02 (now at Holy Cross) . . . the New England Basketball Hall of Fame honored the Clark University High School Tournament and its top all-time players including former Hounds BILL HERRION, CLIFF SMITH '71 and PAUL BAKER '84 . . . condolences to the McInerney family as MARY MC INERNEY '87, sister of hoopster Ann '89, and a former field hockey player at AC passed the final week of July 2009 . . . former Hound hoopster BRITT BISHOP '06 is the girl's basketball coach at Grafton, MA High . . . just graduated golf captain ROB YOUNKER '09 shot a 78-76--154 in the Mass. Amateur Golf (July 13-17, 2009) . . . other former Greyhound golfers included FRANK VANA '86 (72-72--144) (who made match play portion of the event for the 19th consecutive year), MATT DUNN '89 (82-80--162), R.J. FOLEY '83 (88-75--163) and DAN MASTROTATARO '86 (90-86--176) . . . former Hound field hockey all-America MELISSA SHAMGOCHIAN '01 was inducted into the Quabbin Regional Athletic Hall of Fame in October 2009 . . . former Hounds baseball captain PAUL STOCKHAUS '74 passed June 28, 2009. "Stock" was an outstanding defensive catcher and won the Desautels Award as the premier senior student-athlete . . . former Hound hoopster TOM LYONS (1975-78) is the boy's basketball coach at Burlington, MA High . . . Hound hoop Hall of Famer TOM O'CONNOR '68 had his contract extended for five years as the Athletics Director of George Mason University (June 15, 2009) . . . former Greyhounds cross country and track standout CAITLYN CLARK '06was the top female finisher in the Worcester Firefighters Memorial 6K at 21:03 June 14 . . . former Hound golf standout TOM BARTHOLOMEW '79 was elected to the Board of Directors of the Greater Worcester Community Foundation for a second four-year term. He was also elected to serve as treasurer and will continue as chairman of the Investment Committee and a corporator . . . former Hound baseball/football standout JIM VAIL '84 was inducted into the Saint Peter-Marian High School Hall of Fame November 14, 2009 . . . former soccer standout MIKE LABRIE '79 received recognition from the Massachusetts State High School Basketball Coaches Association for his 300th victory as a high school coach, now at Springfield Central High . . . former Hound trackster MATT STARR '04 is in the Mid East for a second tour of duty with the U.S. Army . . . former Hound women's soccer captain HOLLY MC GRATH '07 is now an assistant coach with Clark University . . . former Hounds lineman DAN BOYLE '04 is the head football coach at North High School in Worcester . . . former Hounds football assistant JIM PISEGNA is the coach at Burncoat High (Worcester) . . .

IN OTHER NEWS: former assistant track coach JOHNNY WALLACE (1983-85) was inducted into the Worcester Public Schools Hall of Fame May 16 at the Wachusett Country Club . . . former softball standout NANCY (MAROIS) WINN '80 was inducted into the Auburn, MA High School Athletic Hall of Fame March 28 . . . the first women's basketball/volleyball coach at the College, RUTH LINDEN, passed away recently . . . Linden was also the first female winner of the Al Banx Memorial Award for service to the athletics department (1975) . . . and HENRI O. BELANGER '35, baseball Hall of Famer (1990), died at age 94 in Sarasota, FL (December 14, 2008) . . . Mr. Belanger was a .331 lifetime hitter and one the region's outstanding two-way catchers for the Greyhounds from 1929-35, playing for coaches Jim Tunney, and Baseball Hall of Famer Jesse Burkett. He is one of a very small minority to have played collegiate ball for two Hall of Famers at the same time. Burkett's assistant coach in 1931 was Rube Marquard, the former New York Giants pitcher who once won a Major League record 19 straight games. He enjoyed his finest year in 1931 batting .452 and leading the team in hits, runs, total bases, and runs batted in. He made just three errors in handling over 120 chances. He led the team again in 1932 (.282) and then batted .357 in 1933. A career U.S. Navy man, Belanger retired as a full commander . . . former Hound baseball player SEAN WALSH '07 was a contestant (and winning almost $6,000) on the Price is Right which aired Christmas Day 2009 . . . Hounds Hall of Fame golfer PAT DUNN '89 is Vice-President of Sales/Service for Metso Automation . . . former Hounds' basketball student aide MIKE BOREK '02 is teaching at the Goddard School in West Boylston . . . former Hound basketball player ILYA NICHOLAS is the boy's basketball coach at Marlboro High . . .

LASKA NAMED TO WORCESTER HALL OF FAME: Director of Athletics Emeritus ANDY LASKA was among the first class of inductees in the Worcester Public High Schools Athletic Hall of Fame (May 12, 2007). Laska, who starred at North High School and later at the College of Holy Cross, served the College as men's basketball coach (1951-67), golf coach (1959-85) and Director of Athletics (1956-85). Worcester Athletics Director John Pepi headed the selection committee. Former Worcester Academy coach Dee Rowe will be featured speaker. Rowe was an assistant basketball under Laska at the Academy in the 50s. Other inductees include Ziggy Strzelecki, Jim Kenary and Jim Butcher from before 1950; Eliott Nadeau, Vic Vezoulis, Tony Pignataro and Peter Backstrom from 1951-1975; Tony Jeffries, Cedric Ball and Nancy Mayer from 1976-1997; and coaches John Comer and John O'Neil. Laska is also a member of the Assumption College Alumni-Athletic Hall of Fame, the College of Holy Cross Hall of Fame and the New England Basketball Hall of Fame.

WHERE ARE THEY NOW?: former Hound football player MIKE MC SHERRY '83, whose brothers Kevin, George and Brian were also part of the football program for the Greyhounds, has been named a Vice-President with Fleishman-Hillard Government Relations in Washington, DC . . . former Hounds' basketball assistant TOM MOORE is the head coach at Quinnipiac University and is ably assisted by former Hound aides, SEAN DOHERTY and ERIC EATON . . . Moore was an assistant at the University of Connecticut for 13 years, while Doherty was the head coach at Salem State College . . . former baseball catcher TOM FERACO '90 was named to the Worcester Order Sons of Italy Hall of Fame and was inducted May 2007. Feraco, who earned all-New England and all-conference honors as a senior once hit three home runs in a single game for the Greyhounds. He is now with the Worcester Police Dept. And, DREW COOPER '99 is an assistant coach at Bellarmine College (Louisville, KY) . . . former baseball player ED CONNOR '73 is the Senior Vice-President, investment and trust officer for Fitchburg Savings Bank . . .

NEW ENGLAND BASKETBALL HALL OF FAME: ANDY LASKA (coach, 1951-67 and athletics director, 1956-86); JOE O'BRIEN '57 (player, 1953-57 coach, 1958-85, Executive Director of the Basketball Hall of Fame, 1985-03); TIM SHEA '72 (player, 1968-72 and now coach, athletics director at Salem State); CHARLIE BIBAUD '55 (player, 1950-52, prep coach, 1952-67); BILL GIBBONS (player, 1954-56, official); JOHN GROCHOWALSKI '75 (player, 1971-75); JAKE JONES '71 (player, 1967-71, NBA, 1971-72); MIKE BOYLAN '73 (player, 1969-73); JOE LANE '60 (player, 1956-60, coach St. John's, 1964-72); KERRY PHAYRE (coach, 1996-present); SERGE DE BARI '71 (player, 1967-71, coach, 1996-99, 05-present); ART BOMENGEN '75 (women's collegiate official); ED HIPPERT '62 (player, 1958-62); FRED BARAKAT '61 (player, 1957-61, coach, 1966-69) and TOM O'CONNOR '68 (player, 1964-68) and present George Mason Athletics Director won the 2004 Pathfinder Award for contributions and the Greyhounds 1970-71 men's basketball team . . . newly inducted in 2009 were TED PAULAUSKAS'67, CHRIS KIERNAN '65 and BUDDY MASTERSON '60 . . .

GREYHOUNDS GRADUATION RATE BEST IN NORTHEAST-10: in a recently released report of N.C.A.A. Federal Graduation Rates, Assumption College is tied for FIRST among its brethren in the Northeast-10 Conference for the period between 1996-2002. Northeast-10 Conference: 1, ASSUMPTION (89%) . . . 1, Saint Michael's (89%) . . . 3, LeMoyne (87%) . . . 4, Stonehill (86%) . . . 5, Saint Anselm (84%) . . . 6, Pace (77%) . . . 7, Merrimack (75%) . . . 8, Bentley (73%) . . . 9, Southern New Hampshire (71%) . . . 10, Bryant (66%) . . . 11, Saint Rose (62%) . . . 12, Massachusetts Lowell (56%) . . . 13, Franklin Pierce (55%) . . . 14, American International (53%) . . . 15, Southern Connecticut (37%) . . .

KEEPING UP WITH FORMER GREYHOUNDS: former softball pitcher MEG CURTIN '97 is now the field hockey coach at Burncoat High (Worcester, MA) . . . former baseball standout DAN WALSH '96 is the new baseball coach at Centennial High (Frisco, TX) . . . Hound hoopster PAUL PHILLIPS '76 is in his second stint as Clark University (Worcester, MA) men's basketball coach . . . SEAN CONRAD '84 is the head men's basketball coach at Anna Maria . . . JOHN MILLER '85 is an assistant men's basketball coach at Merrimack College . . . Hound lax player DOUG SMITH '89 has joined The First National Bank of Ipswich as President of its Boston division . . . soccer player MATT WALTON '97 is the girl's tennis coach at Lyme-Old Lyme, CT High School . . . Matt also teaches at Old Saybrook Middle School and coaches the girl's soccer team . . . Hounds' quarterback/outfielder JAY COSTA '96 is the Director of Athletics at Shrewsbury, MA High School . . . Jay had previously served at Shrewsbury as a coach and guidance counselor . . . Hound golf alum PAUL COUTURE '76 is with the Patriot Financial Group (Worcester, MA) as a senior planner . . . hockey goalie/assistant coach MIKE MYERS '93 is the youth hockey and community relations manager for the Worcester Sharks (AHL) . . . Hound basketball alum JASON CHAVOOR '99 coaches the Holy Name High boy's basketball team . . . Hound football alum FRANK GUINTA '93 is the mayor of Manchester, NH . . . hoopster DAN MC KEE '73 is mayor of Cumberland, RI . . . former football standout ANDY QUINN '98 is the football coach at Cohoes, NY High School . . . former rower MATT SISK '01 was appointed by the George Bush Administration to serve as special assistant to GSA (General Services Administration) New England Regional Administrator Dennis Smith and will work in support of the president's management agenda and serve as the public relations resource for the New England Region . . . cross country standout JOE CURTIN '92 was promoted to Associate Vice-President involving investments at Wachovia Securities . . . Hounds' football standout defensive back MARK CAFFERTY '93 joined BIOCOM as Director of Workforce Development. He leads BIOCOM's efforts in implementing a $2.5 million employment and training grant from the U.S. Department of Labor. He came to BIOCOM with more than 12 years experience in connecting youth and adults with careers, most recently as director of strategic alliances for the San Diego Workforce Partnership . . . field hockey captain LAUREN KURSONIS '05 teaches at Northwest Elementary School in Leominster and also coaching with the junior varsity field hockey team at Notre Dame Academy (Worcester) . . . baseball captain ANDY BARLOW '05 is teaching math at the St. Francis of Assisi Elementary School (Braintree, MA) . . . women's hoop captain and 1998 class valedictorian AMY KING was profiled in the Pembroke, MA Mariner on the opening of her new consignment furniture sales store, Home Chic Home . . . softball standout LAURIE DEL GREGO '02 is teaching (and coaching the JV softball team) at The Morgan School (Clinton, CT) . . . she authored a career batting average of .454 with a school-record 271 hits during her stay with the Greyhounds . . . teammate LORI AMICANGELO '02 is teaching and is the assistant softball coach at Trinity Catholic (Newton, MA) . . . Marblehead, MA High School girl's basketball is coached by KRISTEN FOLEY '01. Foley was a four-year starter for the Greyhounds and participated in two NCAA Division II regionals. She began coaching at Central Catholic High and compiled a 44-6 junior varsity record in three years. She is also a sheltered English immersion teacher in Methuen, MA for 5th and 6th grade . . . rowing standout JIM RUTLEDGE (1971-74) is the Executive Vice-President and Chief Financial Officer of Clean Harbors, Inc. of Braintree, MA . . . the company is among the leading providers of environmental and hazardous waste management services in the nation . . . Jim served as captain for the Greyhounds in both 1973 and 1974 for Coach WALLY HALL '72 . . . MIKE PALADINO '89 (Worcester, MA/Doherty), a men's basketball alum, is the boy's basketball coach at Malden Catholic High School, while PAT DRISCOLL '01 is the baseball coach . . . MIKE WILSON '86, who once rowed for the Greyhounds, was recently named a Senior Vice-President by Comerica Bank in charge of its Wealth & Institutional Sales division in Dallas. TX . . .